Hidden Demons amongst Us
by wolfwisdom
Summary: Evelyn Salt, a woman who has lost everything, but still seeks to regain back her life at the cost of completing one more mission. Logan, a hard man with a past of forgotten memories and an unseeable future. Can they reclaim what was once theirs to begin?
1. Chapter 1: New Arrivals

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything, unfortunately. I would love to own both Marvel and Salt.

**Chapter 1:** New Arrivals

Florescent lights shined brightly above a woman with black hair, dark glasses perched on her nose to cover false darkened eyes which concealed true blue orbs as she remained seated in a warm leather chair with others of the same material. Her eyes gradually moved about the room, locating security guards by the entrance of the bustling building and near metal detectors. Standing up straight, she tightened the knot on her belt and grabbed her suitcase, tossing the newspaper she had been reading in the garbage can. Headlines read of the desperate hunt after Evelyn Salt, suspected to be a Russian spy, sent to destroy the government. Government Intel searched for her, attempting to track her every move; however, she always remained a step ahead of them.

Arriving at the entrance of security, she handed the male guard her passport while effortlessly sliding her sunglasses on top of her head, revealing all features to the man. Glancing at the photo plastered on the small booklet and at the face before him, identities matched accurately.

"Have a good trip, Miss Katherine Peters." He replied automatically as he handed her the necessary ticket, not truly meaning the statement for he regularly had to repeat the same phrase throughout the day.

"Thank you." She smiled falsely, anxiety rushed through her because she was racing the clock as to how long the legal officers would be able to discover her location.

Passing the guard, she met the end of the line waiting to pass through the final stage of security. Eyes glanced around her environment, checking faces and reading postures of those around her, keeping her guard up at all times. The cops had not gained the knowledge of her location, relief washed over at the moment as she closed her eyes, trying to control her exhaustion from lack of sleep. Reopening them, she met the eyes of a curious little girl who stood before her, one arm squeezing the neck of her favorite doll and the other latched onto her mother's arm as they proceeded to move forward. Tears nearly welled over her eyelids as she stared into the face of an opportunity she might not have, not being able to live the normal life of an average woman with her husband and not being able to experience the joy coming from raising her own child. She had been robbed of so many possibilities because of who she was and what she supposedly did to the president, but in the end it would be worth the risk for to save Mike and salvage a future she deserved.

Regaining control over her emotions, she looked forward, already entering the last obstacle before embarking on her mission. She carefully placed her luggage on the conveyer belt, discarding objects in her pocket which consisted of lip-gloss and gum and removing her leather boots. Stepping through the device, she passed through smoothly, not alarming anyone of her true intentions of being considered a traitor to her own country. Gathering her belongings, she slipped her feet back into her boots and strutted towards the foyer of the next flight scheduled to leave Russia to America. Entering the plane, she shoved her luggage in the compartment above her seat. Slipping passed a few people who sat within the same row; she sat down next to the window near the midsection of the aircraft, blending with most people who were aboard. Her eyes stared at the outside world, the realization she was leaving home and possibly not returning finally hit her with great impact. Her life had begun terribly, losing her parents in that awful car accident that should have killed her as well. She had felt nothing but despair throughout the time up until she met Mike, the very man who had changed her view, filled her with immense joy and evidently transforming her into a better person through their union. What ever obstacle that would come in her way, she would conquer anything to have Mike returned safely back to her.

…

Beeping noises sounded off next to a sensitive ear, signaling the strong heartbeats of a sturdy man. Eyes flickered open only to meet the suddenly blinding lights above the operating bed; cool metal seemed to prick the aware flesh of the muscular body. Smooth hands ran along the rough calluses of his dry knuckles, seeking to connect a thin needle to the HIV which hung in a clear bag on a metal wrack beside him. Defenses immediately became conscious of what was occurring around him. Acting upon instincts, he swiftly rose from the bed, grabbing the red haired doctor tightly as he observed his environment. Dumping her on the checkered tiled flooring, he raced out of the room, taking a sharp turn, he continued along the same path, unsure of where he was going.

Suddenly a father -like voice popped within his mind, leading him towards the exit of plain white walls. Moving his body along the side of the wall, he took great care in his footing, not knowing his location, if the place had been set with traps or if he could trust the voice that was guiding him somewhere. Leaving the hospital ward the automatic sliding doors, the world around him unexpectedly transformed. Wooden walls with intricate designs met his curious eyes, young teens rushed passed him as one young man caused paper airplanes to fly before him by the simple focus of his hand. Feeling uneasy and frenziedly irritated, he ran down another hallway, pushing passed people as he burst through the doors the voice directed him to take cover in the room. Slamming the doors behind him, everything went silent, the voice disappeared. Inhaling deeply, he caught a whiff of an older man within the same room but also a feminine being, the slight scent of roses nearly sent him mad with desire. Needing to turn around, he faced an elderly gentleman sitting behind an oak desk decorated with little knickknacks, his kind face gave him a friendly aura as though he could trust him. His eyes moved towards the thin figure who sat before him in a chair in front of the desk, the feminine back facing him instead of a lovely face. Black hair stretched along the tall back, ending after hidden shoulder blades, back remained straight as shoulders remained in place as well, if only he would be granted the pleasure of looking upon her face.

"Ah, Logan it is so very pleasant for you to join us." the professor said, acknowledging his presence. "Please meet another new arrival to the school."

The woman stood up and faced him, taking long strides to reach him. His cocoa tinted eyes immediately locked with evening blue eyes, something within him snapped, he felt himself growing soft by the mere sight of the strange woman. Her face was all the more beautiful than he was given time to imagine. Her face was softly angular than most women's, clean arched eyebrows were perched above proportioned eyes, a smooth straight nose sat above overly full, kissable, glossy lips. His heart galloped wildly, he felt the animal instincts begin to arouse deep within him. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself fast before he created a situation.

"My name is Evelyn." She said straightforwardly, offering her hand as a sign of friendly introductions.

"Logan." He momentarily hesitated, grasping her hand and shook it nicely. "Nice to meet 'cha."

"The pleasure is all mine." She smiled secretively, already taking pleasure in her first day at the 'Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters.'

**A/n:** I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I just had to throw this idea out there, it's been bugging me for months, ever since I saw the Salt trailer and since then I have watched the movie. I absolutely loved it! It was about time some producers make a heroine that is just as strong and independent as the usual male roles. Anyway, please rate and thank you so much for reading it.


	2. Chapter 2: Dominance

**A/n: **Sorry for not updating in like over a year, but I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Please read and review. Reviews are great sourses of inspiration and modivators. I always enjoy reading them.

**Chapter 2: ** Dominance

"Jean will show you to your room." Xavier instructed as the door opened to reveal a stunning red head, a charming smile graced her lips.

"Thank you." Evelyn said, her voice maintained a level of politeness and personal distance.

Turning around, she follow Jean, her blue eyes danced along the long corridor walls line with strings of wooden doors. Young students quickly slipped past the guide providing a tour to a new addition to the mutant family, not sparing a glance her way for they were preoccupied with their own lives, schedules which needed their absolute attention. Her mind had to stay focused on Mike, he gave her purpose and she would not surrender all they endured together to arrive at that special moment in their lives where their love built their sanctuary. She could not afford to sqnader an opportunity to rescue her husband from impending clutches. They stopped before a dark wood door which appeared similar as the others. Evely remained forzen, this was it, the moment she enter the room she would offical be accepting the inviation for guildence and protection. She did not know if she was fully prepared for the sudden change, to relinquish the objective and venture on her own in a desperate search for her beloved with the final result ending in awaiting heartache if she were to abandon her commands. Mentally, she slapped her fear, her body inhaled deeply and swiftly released the air from her constricting lungs. A feminine hand touched her slender shoulder, slightly giving the tense muscle a friendly squeeze.

"At first, this place seems intimidating, but once you are settled and get aquainted with everyone. This place may become home." Jean assured, releasing her shoulder, she stepped to the side motioning her to enter her new dwelling.

"How did you know what I was feeling?" Evelyn questioned, her mind immediately cleared all distracting thoughts that would disclose her true intensions.

"I'm telepathic. I did not mean to read your thoughts, sometimes I forge and lose focus on trying to block everyone's thoughts. I don't do it on a regular basis, I just made a little slip." Jean explained, her voice cracked with panic. Lately, she struggled to control her gift, now she embarassed herself in front of someone new to the institute and someone she hoped to befriend in the near future.

"I understand. You don't have to explain yourself to me." Evelyn shrugged, wanting to conceal personal details about her life from others.

Jean did not reply, instead displaved a grateful grin before she left Evelyn alone to settle into her room. She faced the door, eyes fixated on the golden doorknob. She gingerly grasped the handle, applied little force and swung the door open. Beige walls constructed the room, a queen sized bed accesorized with a white comforter sat against the left wall. A pine nightstand sat net to the bed, decorated with a simple white lamp in the corner and a digital clock in front. A light wardrobe sat against the opposite wall from the bed, all drawers and hangers empty of clothes. A colossal window revealed the night sky, spilling light from the full moon which hung just above the mansion. She stepped into the spacious room for one, quietly closing the door behind her. Checking for a lock, she barricaded the door by switching the lock on the knob.

Evelyn tossed the duffle bag on the plush mattress, falling beside the carrier, her hair spilled around her delicate face, features showed slight exhaustion as a result of jetlag. she sighed as she sat up, swiping her hair over her shoulder. Yanking the handle of the dufflebag, she unzipped the bag open and scooped her clothes out, stuffing them into once empty drawers. Shuffling back to the bed, she pulled a small silver case from the bag, placing her index finger on the print pad, a small scan ran along the surface of her finger, identifying her to be the true owner of the case. A green light blinked with acceptence, she typed the code in the number pad. The steel locks popped open, revealing ten syringes filled with proper amount of medication wrapped in sanitized plastic binding nestled tightly in blacking packaging. Her fingers laced around the injector, she gently pulled it out and yanked a disinfectent wipe from a pocket next to the needles. She snapped the lid down, shoving the metal case under the bed for the time being. Wripping the plastic wrapping from the syringe, she squeezed little liquid from the tube, ridding the solution of possible air bubbles. Evelyn smothered a small area of skin in the crook of her forearm with the disinfecting wipe before she slowly stabbed the needle through her tender flesh. A little pinch of pain snaked up her arm, crawled along her shoulder and climbed to her mind, electrifying her body with a nagging thought that would not cease on it's mission to question what action she was taking in harming herself for one man. She did not have any knowledge as to what was inside the syringes, what harm she was causing herself in the persuit to preserve one life that was not her own.

Emptying the cloudy fluid into her bloodstream, she squeezed the used needle back into the protective binding, hiding the injector under her bed as she placed it properly to dispose of later. Slumping back on the bed, Evelyn closed her eyes, allowing herself to drift into past memories of precious joys. Sudden exhaustion settled in the core of her mind, drifting through her nerve ends to relax other muscles.

Rays of pastel colors from the dawn danced along the endless bleankness of the early morning sky. Twinkling thought the tight spaces in between plain blinds that attempted to create barrier aginst the unwelcomed brightness of a new day. The beams spilled into a bedroom, chasing retreating shadows back in the opened closet and under the bed, providing protection from mystical creatures of the night. Sensative eyes flicked open, the feminine body rolled onto her back, the sheets tugged down to reveal bare flesh slightly bruised from a night spent exercising passions. Her mind reasoned going back to sleep would be best, but she knew once she opened her eyes to the sunlight, recapturing lost hours of sleep was futile. Sighing with defeat, she sat up, stretching long arms above her head. Tossing the sheets off her body, long legs slipped over the edge of the bed, dipping into blue, fuzzy slippers. She straightened her posture as she rose from the bed, crossing the room to the cracked open door. Grasping the rim of her silky robe, she slipped her arms through the sleeves, tightening the sash around her waist to have the smooth material conform to her thin figure. She pulled the door open with ease, glided down the hallway and paused around the corner. Her eyes peeked through the kitchen into the dining room, at a certain man preoccupied by inspecting different spiders laid out on the table, his eyes glancing through pages of notes.

Feeling someone's presence, Mike's head shot up, a wide smile spread across his mouth, little lines appeared around the corners of his grin, giving him a sense of wisdom behind his honest demeanor. His eyes sparkled with fondness as he gazed at his lovely wife. His heart galloped fast, he thought he would suffer from a sweet heartattack from his limitless adornment for only one woman. How could a single woman hold such power over a man's heart? Motioning with his hand, he encouraged Evelyn to accompany him, never tiring of her soothing presence. Shuffling around the corner, she entered the kitchen, grabbed a mug from the cabnet and leaned over the counter, pouring freshly brewed coffee into the glass cup. She sauntered through the kitchen, placing the mug down on his papers as she planted a peck on his lips.

"Good morning and happy anniversary!" Evelyn greeted cheerfully, rubbing her hand along his upper back, his lean muscles relaxed against her touch.

"Happy Anniversary!" He replied, his rough hand grasped her hand, his lips pressed hard against the soft skin of her palm.

"Take you bugs off the table, I'm making breakfast." She playfully demanded, sashaying through the entryway of the kitchen as she yanked a pan from the lower cabinet, setting it on the cool burner, she turned the switch of the burner to medium heat.

"They're not bugs, they're spiders. With your cooking, I think we should eat out instead." Mike suggested, a deep chuckle tickled the inside of his ribcage. He closed his notebook and moved the spiders and books to the other side of table, freeing two spaces for them to eat breakfast.

"Uh! Well, Bert likes my cooking." Evelyn reasoned, nodding her head in the direction of an average dog who slept soundly on his bed.

"He's also a dog. Just about anything he puts in his mouth tastes good." He mused, briskly stepping into the kitchen as he wrapped his arms around her body, digging his face in the crook of her neck.

"Ah! Mike, I'm making breakfast. You're in the way." She challenged, wiggling in his arms to free her arms from his grasp to flick a slice of butter in the heated pan.

His arms tightened around her figure, pulling her body close to his own. "We can have breakfast later. I'm in the mood for dessert." He whispered, his hot breath tickled the sensative skin of her neck. His hand slid in the gap of her robe, pushing the material off of her shoulder as his lips planted a tempted kiss on the slender curve.

"Aren't you hungry?" Evelyn whimpered, her breathing quickened with anticipation as she sank against his body, the lightest touch of his hands and lips were enough to crumble her defences and enslave her to his command.

"You're enough to satisfy my appeitite." He cooed in her ear, nipping along the edge of her earlobe. He freed a hand to swiftly turn off the slove as Evelyn twisted around to face Mike, her cheeks flush and eyes glazed with need.

His arms encircled her petite frame, crushing his lips onto her own with a burning passion that could only be satisfied by Evelyn. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers tangled in the hair along his neck, gently sqeezing his tense muscles. His lips trailed across her cheek, down the smooth edge of her jaw and nestled on the soft curve of her neck. She gasped as his other hand massaged her lower back, sending waves of comfort to wash through her crazed mind.

"Oh, Mike." Evelyn sighed willingly in his ear, her voice tender with desire and hot from his touch.

"Oh, Mike." She cooed, her hand ran along the other side of the bed to touch a familiar body that was not there. Opening her eyes, Evelyn remembered where she was and all she experienced was a bitter sweet dream.

Sitting up, she gently shook her head, the venom of her longing for Mike clouded her mind, playing cruel tricks of pleasure on her vulnerable conscious. She shifted her body to the edge of the bed, the room started to spin as a result of getting up too quickly for her mind to comprehend. Leaning towards the lamp, her fingers curtly grasped the switch to turn on the lamp. Suddenly the lightbulb exploded, startling Evelyn as she yanked her finger away just in time from the flying glass. She settled her hand on the elegant surface of the nightstand, trying to keep her mind calm from the small incident. She felt her hand droop lower than she expected, eyes shifted to the crumbling shards of wood that once constructed the nightstand. Bouncing off the bed, she tried to scramble towards the closed door, the white sheets tangled around her foot, causing her to trip to the hard floor. Propping herself up with wobbly arms, she dragged herself to a protective corner that would provide safety from the unusal mishaps. Regaining a sense of balance, she pushed her hand against the wall, fingers barely brushing a near outlet that was not occupied by electical cords. A flash of electricity surged through the tips of her fingers, electrifying currents of power through her system. Immediately, Evelyn expected agony to paralyze her body, to send waves of unbareable pain to her mind and force her to face the mistakes she made in her life, but the pain never claimed her body. She felt a growing sense of power filter through her nerve ends, commanding her mind to wield the energy source.

"Ah! Stop it!" Evelyn screamed, her distressed voice punctured thought hollow walls to a pair of sensative ears.

Mustering some determination from her panicked mind, she wripped her hand away from the wall as if she just touched a burning fire. The visible energy disappeared from sight, but remained inside. She could feel the power clawing at her fragile barriers in an attempt to harness the energy at her disposal. The power pleaded with her consciousness for the taste of freedom from the miserable confines of the human body. Evelyn was curious about the surge of power, to witness what she would do with it, but her mind held greater authority over the immense energy.

The door to her room burst open, the light from the hallway illuminated behind the masculine form, casting a dark shadow over the familiar face. The cloaked stranger stepped forward and Evelyn could feel the hooks of uncertianity claim her wracked mind. She snapped her eyes closed, believing she was just experiencing another nightmare that was not her true reality. The floor creaked under the bulky weight of the intruder as he gradually made his way to her. Her eyes remained closed, her mind struggled to control the power that was growing irritated with her stalling of pathetic barriers of authority which crumbled on contact with the energy.

"I heard you scream. I'm here to help you." The deep voice assured her with a gentle tone as a hand covered with calluses brushed the top of her head, letting her know he was in front of her and not to be frightened.

Her eyes popped open, her head tilted back to stare up at her rescuer who was Logan. His dark eyes bore into frightened blue eyes, damp trails of past tears decorated her high cheekbones as her full lips parted to mutter a reply to his explanation. A sharp pain stabbed Evelyn's core, her hand gripped her chest as she lost the way to breath properly. Logan placed a concerned hand on her shoulder, a carnal instinct consumed his mind with a need to protect this new woman he hardly knew from a potential danger he could not see, but sense. An agonizing surge channelled through her body, sending her figure into convulsions as the energy exploded from her trembling figure, her eyes paled to a steel grey, consuming the warm blue that was once there. Energy envoloped her body, the power threw Logan through her bedroom wall and crashed him to the wood flooring in the hallway. A small cut sliced his forehead as he smacked the ground with great force.

"What's happening to me?" Evelyn screeched, her efforts put into attempting to control the new power were drained. The energy encircled her body with a black haze, her eyes clouded with fear as the power ate at her consciousness, rendering her in a weakened state to be easily conquered.


	3. Chapter 3: Power

**Chapter 3**: Power

A loud boom echoed throughout the mansion, awakening most alert students and the teachers. Curious youngsters scurried out of their beds, gathering in the hallway as they gazed at the hole in the wall, dragging their eyes to Logan's battered body. Xavier rolled down the hallway, Jean, Scott and Storm followed close behind in pursuit of the crash disturbance. A girl glanced over her shoulder, spotting the group of older adults approaching them. She tapped the shoulder of the young man next to her to alert the others the teachers were coming. The hoard of teens dispersed quickly back into their rooms, doors slammed at a different intervals before they could be scorned by Storm for interfering in private matters. Xavier entered the damaged room, the others remained in the hallway. Jean assisted Logan, helping him regain his lost footing as she checked his vitals for signs of harm. Everything appeared well healed, the only thing out of sorts was his agitated attitude that was understandable after being hurled through the drywall. Xavier slowly approached Evelyn as she flattened against the wall, her body trembled with a fear of not knowing who she was anymore. Her eyes flashed at Xavier, irises clouded with a light lime, the whites of her eyes the darkest black until they faded back to their normal state. A sign the new power had not yet claimed her mind, absorbing her spirit and freedom.

_Evelyn, allow me to enter your mind_. Xavier encouraged translating a silent message of necessary support. He struggled to enter her mind, solid walls concealed secrets he was not meant to discover. He could almost feel the same power she was experiencing, the painful surges and the need to stay in command of her own will for he knew she would surpass the greatest threat that was her new-found powers.

"It's too hard." Evelyn replied through clenched teeth, her voice lowered an octive, a different tone revealed an edge in her attitude.

_You have to fight against your power. Don't let it control you_. He commanded, his telepathy squeezed past her first barrier, tapping into her consciousness.

_I'm so exhausted_. She confessed, feeling the strength of her will weaken, the power gradually began to consume her identity.

_I can help you if you focus on eliminating the source of your power's control. Just give it one more try and I will be able to help you_. He insisted his mind could not withstand the immense power, the swirl of energy that engulfed her body.

The haze grew darker, presenting evidence of the potential power Evelyn could not harness. Her mind saw the flow of her energy, the power seeped into her consciousness, attempting to overpower what was left of her. The power evolved further, devouring Evelyn's body in her weakened state. The efforts put into restraining her power were lost, her will shattered at the realization she was defeated by a driving force she could not contain. Evelyn was ready to surrender, her mind expelled too much energy in defeated efforts to reclaim her humanity. Xavier sensed her broken spirit, he offered her an open hand encouraging her to continue the battle and claim her rightful prize. Suddenly, flashes of past memories raced in her mind, special moments spent with Mike, the kisses, the touches and the hope for a future together. A new force coursed through Evelyn's body renewing her strength to regain the use of her body. She grasped Xavier's hand, squeezing hard as she fought the fuming energy. The flow of energy appeared before her mind's eye, the power had a black hue. Xavier was beside her, granting support by acting as a reinforcement to her conscious. Soon the flow diminished, the power remained but in a weakened flow, the inferior clutches released their grasp on Evelyn. The black haze surrounding her body vanished, presenting a feminine body still curled against the wall as her eyes barely opened, thin slits revealed original blue irises. The foreboding energy relinquished authority over her tired figure, subsiding behind a memory her mind refused to venture into.

"Evelyn, how are you?" Xavier requested, his voice low as he placed a concerned hand on her shoulder, sensing her mended spirit and the natural energy coursing through her body.

"My head is pounding much worse than a hangover." she mused, her voice monotone from the lack of energy and expelled will power.

"I'm so tired." she whispered, rubbing the side of her aching head with a bruised hand. Her thin fingers raked through her disheveled black locks, tugging on a knot that caught on her pinky finger, yanking a few strands from her scalp.

"That is expected. I will have Jean check you for any damage, but I doubt she will find anything." he explained with certainty, his hands relaxed on the edge of the armrests of his wheelchair. "I would like us to talk tomorrow and schedule weekly meetings until you have better use of your power." he advised, coaxing Jean to enter the room with his index finger.

Scott grasped Jean's forearm, stopping her in mid-step before the doorway. Heated concern etched along the thin line of his lips, lines of disapproval appeared around the corners of his mouth. Jean placed a loving hand upon his, nodding, assuring him she was not stepping into immediate danger. Reluctantly he released her arm and she proceeded to move forward, pausing before Xavier and Evelyn. She bent down to Evelyn's level, quickly checking her necessary life sources. Evelyn remained silent, allowing Jean to do what was needed and cooperated with Xavier as he scanned her mind once more for any disturbances. The energy remained in her system, trace amounts flowed through the warm rivers of her bloodstream. The raging level the energy exploded once before soothed into a dormant state, hibernating in the far reaches of her mind, awaiting the proper day for awakening. Xavier grasped her hand gently helping to restore her sense of balance. Evelyn rubbed her eyes with her hands, trying to clear her vision of the blurriness as her feet planted firmly on the ground.

"You can stay in another room. This will be cleaned up in the morning." Xavier reassured her, sensing the doubt she had about transferring to a new room. "You can move in the room next to Logan's." he informed, retreating into the hallway as she gathered her belongings, stuffing her clothes back into the duffel bag.

Stepping towards the bed, she pretended to search the sheets in the efforts of locating a lost object. She lowered to the floor, the hard flooring cool beneath her hand. Yanking the silver case from underneath the bed, she shoved the metal container in the bag, placing different articles of clothing on top of it. Tugging the handles of the bag, she hauled the duffel bag along her side as she walked out of the damaged room through the doorway. Following Xavier, she paused in front of the door that was going to be her new dwelling. Her eyes glanced to the side, locking with a pair of clouded eyes that possessed frustration and a small sense of understanding. The gruff face raked over her body, checking for visible wounds he could not detect. She felt a pang of guilt, her mind knew she could not control her new power but that did not reason her action for harming an innocent bystander, especially when Logan attempted to help her . He had the option of saving himself, but didn't. Evelyn questioned the meaning of his rescue. He was a new comer like herself and knew nothing about her, what did he have to gain by trying to save her life. She saw his jaw clench, his eyes glazed with fuming anger he battled to control. Tearing her eyes away, she entered the new room, the unoccupied space resembled the other bedroom.

"Just make yourself comfortable and try to stay calm about what happened. Don't dwell on it, everything will be better tomorrow." he encouraged, watching Evelyn as she took in her new surroundings.

"Thank you for your hospitality." Evelyn smiled, her eyes gentle with a touch of sadness as to the result of her current situation and the stress of the larger mission ahead. She had never met a man who did not pass judgement on people who were incapable of understanding their own super abilities alone.

Xavier returned her smile, journeying down the corridor to his own room. The X-Men dispersed to their bedrooms, leaving Evelyn to regain lost sleep. Sighing with irritation, a rough hand raked through messy locks as he passed down the hallway, returning to his room where his bed soothingly called his name. Blue eyes grew wide, observing a bulky shadow emerged closer to the entryway of the room. She knew who the shadow belonged to, Evelyn quickly closed the door, the wooden barrier slammed shut to protect herself from further embarrassment. She felt her cheeks flush as the sturdy steps paused before her closed-door. She could feel his gaze burn through the door into the core of her being. She only met Logan once and hurled him through a wall and he made her feel insecure. Evelyn had powerful skills, a new gift and confidence, but he unknowingly was challenging her beliefs, everything she stood for. Gently shaking her head, she would overcome this strange feeling, rid herself of the doubts in everything she did.

She stepped away from the door, turning her back to the man who was just another obstacle in the way of her main aim. Repeating the same process, she put her clothes in the empty drawers and shoved the silver case under the bed. Slinking the jacket from her arms, she pulled the sweater over her head, stepped out of her boots and slipped from her black pants. She pulled a grey tank top on and faded sweatpants. Yanking her hair up, she twisted thick black locks into a knot securing it with a rubber band. Trudging into the white bathroom, she turned the handle to the faucet, water spilled from the spout and pooled in the sink. Dipping her index finger in the thinly flowing waterfall, the clear liquid cool against her skin. Scooping her hands in the water, she splashed her face, scrubbing the grime from her skin. She washed her hands, roughly cleaning her forearms and elbows. Her skin felt tight with filth from the day's events, dry from the terrible accident stained with innocent blood. She scrubbed her face and arms again, still feeling filthy as her nails dug into her skin to scratch the grains of earth from her body.

Turning the handle back, the water ceased to flow, a few droplets dropped to the top of the drain. She yanked a plush towel from the rack, patting her face and arms dry. Tossing the towel on the pearl counter, she walked back into the room eyes glanced at the door to witness the familiar shadow already vanished disappearing into the room next door. A warm feeling settled in her stomach, causing a crimson joy to lay across the smooth skin of her cheeks. She had her own guardians to protect her, the thought was a nice distraction for she always had to rely on herself, but in a way she still did. She felt she could place her trust in the people who were providing her shelter and guidance; although, she knew she could not trust them with the full truth about her real identity and her past.

Throwing the comforter and light summer sheets back, she plopped down on the mattress, her head fell back on the pillow as she pulled the blankets under her chin. Her eyelids felt heavy, her strength and energy spent after a long day of riding a plane, meeting new people, busting someone through a wall and moving into a couple of bedrooms. Turning on her side, she situated herself in a comfortable spot. She slowly welcomed the thick abyss crawling into her mind, adding weight to her body as she shifted in a deeper slumber.


End file.
